Ricky Martin SPLITS from husband Jwan Yosef after six-year marriage

Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef are divorcing after six years of marriage. 

The Puerto Rican singer, 51, and the Syrian-Swedish artist, 38, shared the news in a joint statement on Thursday as they vowed to continue amicably co-parenting their children. 

They share daughter Lucia, four, and son Renn, three, while Ricky is also parents to twin sons Matteo and Valentino, 14, whom he’ll continue to raise as a single parent.

In a heartfelt announcement, the pair revealed they were ending things on amicable terms as they insisted they still have ‘love and respect for each other.’ 

It began: ‘We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years.’

It’s over: Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef have announced they are divorcing after six years of marriage (pictured in 2022) 

The statement, shared with PEOPLE, went on: ‘Our greatest desire now is to continue having a healthy family dynamic and a relationship centered on peace and friendship to continue the joint upbringing of our children, preserving the respect and love we have for each other.’

Ricky and Jwan met virtually through Instagram in 2015, and it was only after several months of digital communication that he made the trek to London to finally meet Yosef in person.

The following year the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that the two were engaged, and in January 2018 he revealed that they had secretly wed.

‘I saw his art and I went crazy because I really love what he does. Really original. And I contacted him and then I collected him,’ Ricky – born Enrique Morales – told Ellen shortly after his engagement. 

Although Ricky already had his older twin sons, the two were excited to have more children together.

In December 2018, the singer revealed that they had welcomed a daughter and they welcomed a son together the following year.

Ricky welcomed his sons in 2008 via a surrogate, and at the time he defended the process as being faster and simpler for a single father.

It wasn’t until two years later that he would finally come out as gay after dating men and women on and off in the preceding years.

Following a long-term relationship with the economist Carlos González Abella from 2010 through 2014, Martin fell in love with his future husband, the Syrian-born Swedish painter Jwan.

Amicable: The Puerto Rican singer, 51, and the Syrian-Swedish artist, 38, shared the newson Thursday as they vowed to continue amicably co-parenting (pictured with Ricky’s sons Matteo and Valentino in 2016) 

Ricky previously said he wanted to ‘normalise’ families with two fathers.

Speaking on The Ellen DeGeneres Showabout being on the cover of People’s Pride Issue, he said: ‘I just want to normalise families like mine.

‘I know it’s very interesting for a lot of people who tell me ‘Thank you Ricky for posting that picture with you and your husband and your kids. That made me feel better about myself.’

Ricky’s divorce comes after a turbulent few months for the singer. 

Last year, his nephew Dennis Yadiel Sanchez filed a temporary restraining order against him on July 1, alleging he had a sexual relationship with the singer, who became abusive and stalked him after the relationship ended.

Ricky flatly denied the allegations and painted his nephew as a troubled young man with mental health issues.

A Puerto Rican judge officially dismissed the temporary restraining order, at Sanchez’s request later that month.

Following the dismissal Ricky spoke to the press, and said to his nephew, ‘To the person that was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best – and I wish he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy – and he doesn’t hurt any body else.’ 

In November, Ricky filed a $20 million lawsuit against his nephew, claiming he’s been ‘persecuted, besieged, harassed, stalked and extorted’ by the 21-year-old, whom he calls a ‘maladjusted person’ according to TMZ.  

Sad news: They shared a joint statement on Instagram as they thanked fans for the support